It’s hard to imagine running a gay club under the threat of government crackdown, terrorist attacks and abduction, but somehow the owners of the Mayak in Sochi are soldiering on.
Reuters photographer Thomas Peter paid a visit to the nightclub and snapped a few shots, as well as portraits of brave members of the LGBT community.
There’s no sign outside and the windows are blacked out, but inside the party’s still going… for now. The audience is mostly straight, Reuters reports, since LGBTs have been scared underground or abroad by violence elsewhere.
The owner of the Mayak says that his customer base has dwindled to the point that there simple aren’t any gay people left.
Meanwhile, other gay clubs in Russia have faced poison gas attacks, so hopefully this coverage won’t attract any backlash.
With the eyes on the international community on Sochi, it’s hard to imagine it would go un-noticed.
Check out the photo gallery here.
by Matt Baume
Source – Queerty
